A California judge has rejected a request for a new trial for Erik and Lyle Menendez, ruling that new evidence of alleged sexual abuse did not outweigh the 'premeditation and deliberation' of their parents' murders. The decision by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan on Monday closes another potential path to freedom for the brothers, who have been incarcerated for nearly 30 years.
The Menendez brothers were convicted in 1996 of fatally shooting their father, José Menendez, and mother, Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home in 1989. They were 18 and 21 at the time. Defence attorneys argued the brothers acted in self-defence after years of sexual abuse by their father, while prosecutors contended they killed for a multimillion-dollar inheritance.
Judge Ryan denied a May 2023 petition seeking a review of the convictions based on new evidence supporting the abuse claims. In his ruling, he wrote that the evidence 'slightly corroborates' the allegations but is not compelling enough to have created reasonable doubt for a juror or to support an imperfect self-defence instruction. The decision comes weeks after the brothers were denied parole in August.
During their parole hearings, Lyle Menendez was denied parole for three years, with commissioners citing 'anti-social personality traits'. Erik Menendez was also denied, with officials determining his prison misbehaviour made him a public safety risk. In his hearing, Erik offered a detailed account of his upbringing, stating he was 'raised to lie, to cheat, to steal'.
The brothers have gained support from celebrities like Kim Kardashian and advocates who view them as victims of sexual abuse. Previous Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón had sought reduced sentences, but the judge’s resentencing decision faced pushback from current prosecutors.
